New York City rezoning plan threatens 'Garment District' workers

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
Mar 28, 2017

The NYCEDC and the CFDA announced on Friday a multi-million dollar package intended to strengthen New York City’s garment manufacturing industry and a new rezoning plan that would move businesses from Manhattan’s iconic Garment District to Sunset Park in Brooklyn.

Businesses are upset that the rezoning plan will remove a 1987 zoning protection and will disrupt timing by “adding hours or days to the production process,” according to Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.

 
The New York Post added that Brewer is not opposed to the new Sunset Park fashion hub, but designers and manufacturers need to be in closer proximity to keep the fashion ecosystem running smoothly.

Though businesses are hesitant to the move, the NYCEDC has figures to back up its proposal. Manufacturing jobs have fallen by 8,484 between 2000 and 2015, and there were just over 5,000 jobs as of 2015 compared to 350,000 fashion factory workers in the 1950s. Creating a hub for garment manufacturing will also make good on the city’s $236 million investment in the Sunset Park facilities.

Moving garment manufacturing to Brooklyn could be seen as saving what manufacturing jobs New York City has left. According to data recovered by Crain’s, clothing manufacturing jobs were as high as 90,000 nearly 30 years ago and are now below 14,000.
 
The NYCEDC and the CFDA proposed a $51.3 million-dollar package to stimulate the garment manufacturing industry with new technology and workforce development among others. The proposal also builds on the $15 million Made in NY: Fashion initiative that began in 2015. The NYCEDC is continuing outreach to refine the financial package and rezoning plan.